HBO Go vs HBO Now – Which Subscription Service Is The Winner?

BY /June 23, 2015 11:03 pm

Everyone loves HBO because of its shows and everyone hated it for how the fifth season of Game of Thrones ended. Anyway, there are many other original series and only two ways to have access to them. You’ll choose either HBO Now (over-the-top subscription video on demand service) or HBO Go (TV Everywhere service) which have a few similarities, but in the same time, they’re very different. Let’s see how many features they have in common and which service is more appealing.

Prices

If you’ll choose HBO Now, you’ll pay 15 dollars per month, being a standalone package which doesn’t force you pay a cable subscription. However, HBO Go is free, but you’ll need to pay a HBO subscription to your cable or satellite provider. Usually, a HBO subscription costs between 10 and 20 dollars, but if you’re an internet user, maybe you are lucky to access HBO’s content online, for free.

Content

Both services are offering the same movies, television series, comedy central etc., and they’re aired simultaneously on both HBO Now or Go. However, normally, the new content is accessed one hour later after the live broadcast. Regarding the interfaces, both applications have an identical appearance, so you’ll navigate the same way on both of them.

Devices

HBO Go can be installed on Apple or Android devices, PCs, Macs, set-top boxes (Roku and Amazon Fire TV) and many video game consoles. HBO Now, on the other hand, is supported by Macs, PCs, Apple TV, iPads and iPhones, after in March 2015 it was exclusive for Apple and to a limited number of Cablevision users in the New York area. Soon, HBO Now will be compatible with Google’s Chromecast and Android TV devices.

Restrictions

When using HBO Go on your device, you must authenticate the service through your cable/satellite provider. HBO Now doesn’t limit the allowed devices per account, but the users still need to authenticate, using their credentials.

Conclusion

Each service has its own advantages and disadvantages, and they were created for different categories of users. HBO Go is perfect for those who pay a cable subscription, but they don’t have HBO included and it’s supported by more devices than HBO Now.

HBO Now, on the other hand, is preferred by those who usually like to watch movies on Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime or other video services.

ApplicationsHBO Go vs HBO Now – Which Subscription Service Is The Winner?